On Tuesday the Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has berated a former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim over claims that Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State plans to assassinate him.
OYC claimed that the ongoing political face-off between the Governor and leaders of his former party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was aimed at making the state and entire South-East zone lawless and ungovernable.
The Igbo socio-cultural group made its position known in a press statement, made available to newsmen on Tuesday, following outbursts trailing assassination claims of Senator Pius Anyim against Governor Dave Umahi.
It was reported earlier that a former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, had accused Umahi of hatching a plan to assassinate him and other prominent leaders in Ebonyi State.
According to Anyim, it all began when he and other political leaders in PDP refused to follow Umahi in his “political adventure” to defect to APC.
Recall that Umahi, who is the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum, had recently defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Umahi’s defection to APC has since plunged Ebonyi State into a political crisis amid recriminations, accusations and counter-accusations.
The Governor had last Friday after the state security council meeting, accused the former Senate President, Senator Sam Egwu and Obinna Ogba, as well as the PDP acting Vice-Chairman, South-east, Ali Odefa, of plotting to use members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to unleash mayhem in the state.
But, Ohanaeze Youth Council, (OYC), vowed to resist any attempts to make Ebonyi State lawless over Umahi’s defection, urging political gladiators in Ebonyi to cease fire.
The Igbo youths insisted that the former ruling PDP had been unfair to the South-East geopolitical zone despite the bulk votes it enjoyed from the region since the inception of the democratic governance in the country.
OYC, however, maintained that Governor Umahi’s decision of dumping PDP to the governing All Progressive Congress, APC, was in the best interest of the South-East zone.
Parts of the statement read, “Ohanaeze youths caution that this madness must stop and violence should be resisted except if the children of those brewing the crisis should lead it. Has Senator Pius Anyim forgotten his alleged involvement in the scandal of Abuja Centenary City, which OYC had been studying recently?
Has Senator Sam Egwu forgotten so soon the scandal that led to his exit during his tenure as Minister of Education, where millions were squandered at his birthday party in 2009 when ASUU was on strike?.
We have all comprehensive lists from the budget office of the National Assembly from 1999 to 2019, and the records of monies released for constituency projects for the three senatorial zones in Ebonyi state.
We are still investigating projects executed so far by the National Assembly members from Ebonyi state. They will be called to render their stewardship sooner than later.
“Governor Umahi’s tenure has been peaceful and had recorded a lot of developmental strides in Ebonyi state and he should not be distracted. His political sojourn to APC is in the best interests of the Southeast Region with the Support and backing of Igbos. On that note, OYC issues a stern warning and 7 days ultimatum to the Ebonyi Political leaders to cease fire and promote peaceful coexistence amongst all political parties.
“Ohanaeze describes Senator Pius Anyim’s claims that Governor Dave Umahi wants to kill Ebonyi leaders as a huge joke aimed at creating disaffection and dividing Ebonyians along political parties lines. Igbo youths wonder why Senator Anyim is always on the media for negative reasons. Last time, he alleged that Prince Arthur Eze was after him and now its Governor Dave Umahi, who knows next. We wish to admonish the Former President of the Senate, that its time to allow peace triumphs in Ebonyi state and he should never repeat the sad episodes of the feud that existed between him and Senator Sam Egwu”.
